FAMU Dominates Early and Cruises to a 29-7 Win over Texas Southern; Edward Waters Falls to Bethel (Tn) 19-13 After Interception Ends Late Comeback

 By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

FAMU's Vincent Jeffries throws a pass against Texas Southern (Photo by FAMU Athletics)

Ryan Stanley threw for 217 yards and touchdown and ran for another score while the Florida A&M defense shut down the Texas Southern offense to carry the Rattlers to a 29-7 victory in the inaugural Jake Gaither Football Classic in Tallahassee, Fla., Saturday.

In the first game of the 125th season for black college football, Florida A&M (1-0) grabbed control early.  Stanley had a short touchdown scamper in the first quarter, followed by a Devin Bowers 6-yard TD run to go up 13-0 midway through the second quarter.  The TSU defense's problems in slowing down the FAMU offense persisted, with Stanley tossing a 35-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Norwood as Florida A&M took a 20-0 lead into the half.

FAMU out-gained Texas Southern 268 yards to 41 by halftime.

Even receiving the second-half kickoff was a problem for Texas Southern as their returner scooped up the kick at the 2-yard line, stepped into the end zone and downed the ball, which actually was a safety and gave FAMU two more points.

Five minutes later, FAMU backup quarterback Vincent Jeffries ran a 12-yard TD to put the Rattlers up comfortably 29-0.

While FAMU approached 400 yards of offense early in the fourth quarter, Texas Southern just got to a little more than 100 when TSU's Jay Cristophe got it going.  Cristophe, who was playing for the first time since injuring a knee in the first game last season, threw a 30-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and drove his team inside Rattlers' territory late.  But he was picked off in the end zone with 4:55 left to pretty much end the game.

"I think we have to do a better job of coaching," TSU head coach Michael Haywood said afterwards. "Everything can be corrected and we can do a better job moving forward."

Ricky Henilus rushed for 81 yards for FAMU while Norwood finished with three catches for 63 yards and a TD.   TSU finished with 202 yards of offense, with Cristophe throwing for 140 yards and a TD and leading the Tigers in rushing with 29 yards.

FAMU won't have much time to celebrate.  They have a Wednesday night bus trip to Fayetteville, Ark., where they play FBS Arkansas of the Southeastern Conference on Thursday, Aug. 31.  Texas Southern takes on rival Prairie View A&M Sept. 2 in the Labor Day Classic in Houston.

Bethel (Tn) 19, Edward Waters College 13

Freshman quarterback Christian Hayes, in relief of starter Tyler Mahla, threw a late touchdown and engineered a potential game-winning drive with just over two minutes remaining.  But late in the drive after Hayes lost his shoe, Mahla came on and threw an interception, ending a comeback as Bethel (Tn) held on for a 19-13 win over Edward Waters College Saturday.

Bethel (1-0) had jumped out to a 16-0 lead.  But Hayes came on late and led an eight-play, 84-yard drive late in the fourth quarter, capped by a Hughes touchdown pass to Jamal Hughes to pull Edward Waters (0-1) to within six at 19-13 (they missed the extra point).

The Tigers defense held Bethel to a three-and-out on the next possession and got the ball with 2:33 remaining.

Hayes, mainly off two big passes to Hughes and a big run, drove the Tigers inside the Bethel 40 with a little over a minute remaining.  Mahla went back into the game with 53 seconds left, but threw an interception that ended the comeback attempt.

HBCU Football Game Previews for Texas Southern-FAMU and Edward Waters-Bethel

Only two games are on the slate today as Texas Southern at Florida A&M and Edward Waters at Bethel (Tn) kicks off the 125th season of HBCU football.

Texas Southern at Florida A&M - These two 4-7 teams from a year ago are full of optimism heading into this season.  TSU quarterback Jay Cristophe is back after a knee injury in game one of 2016 ended his season.  FAMU quarterback Ryan Stanley should start, but backup Vincent Jeffries is pushing him. The Rattlers offense struggles running the ball - Stanley was their second leading rusher last season and he only had a little over 300 yards total.  Their rush defense is an issue - it was one of the worst in the nation last year, but their pass defense was one of the nation's best.  TSU's defense lost a lot of experience after last season and will be using a 3-4 for the first time.

Edward Waters at Bethel (Tn) - It's the first Mid-South Conference game for Edward Waters and they are drawing an opponent that was great at the start of the season - they were 4-0 and nationally-ranked in the NAIA - but ended up losing their last four games and finishing 7-4.  Bethel will have a new quarterback, running back and top wide out, though they have eight starters returning to their defense.  Edward Waters (3-6 last year) goes as quarterback Tyler Mahla goes.  He split time with two other quarterbacks last season, but is a dual threat who also led the Tigers in rushing last season.

This Year We Celebrate The 125-Year Anniversary of “the Show,” which is Black College Football

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

“Big John” Merritt used to call it “the Show.”

Earnest Wilson just called it “Show Time.”

The irony is that these two coaches at historically black colleges and universities from two different eras – Merritt at Jackson State and Tennessee State from the 60s through the 80s, and Wilson who now coaches at Elizabeth City State – describe the 125-year tradition of HBCU football in virtually the same terms.

But that’s what it is.

It would be short-changing and selfish to believe that college football at other places lacks a deep sense of tradition and pageantry that turns a game on grass for three hours into a huge colorful spectacle.

But at HBCUs, that spectacle takes on a completely different hue.  HBCU football is part of black life. It is a show.

I grew up in Nashville, Tenn., during the era that Big John Merritt was coach of dominant Tennessee State football teams, and pretty much could have been mayor of Nashville.  TSU anchored Jefferson Street (the part near campus is now named “John Merritt Boulevard”) in north Nashville where much of black Nashville was centered.  So it made perfect sense that a Tennessee State football game in Nashville – a city that didn’t have professional sports and sports at Vanderbilt and Tennessee were the domain of white folks – TSU athletics was THE thing that connected all black folks in Nashville, whether they attended TSU or not.

Even now, the question every black person in or from Nashville asks other black people in or from Nashville annually – no matter what part of the country they live in – is “when is TSU’s homecoming?”

It’s just part of being a black Nashvillian.  But folks in Grambling, La., Durham, N.C., Jackson, Miss., Tallahassee, Fla., Tuskegee, Ala., and many other places can say the exact same thing. 

Now in this world of the Internet, social media and what had been a millennial life that was less influenced by race than it was for my generation and those before mine, more inclusion has chipped away at the influence of “the Show” on black folks and black communities.

But believe me, it’s still important.

Where at some schools where halftime meant a food or bathroom run, at HBCU football games, halftime still means the Ocean of Soul, the House of Funk, the Human Jukebox, the Sonic Boom, the Sounds of Dynamite, the Aristocrat of Bands and many other marching musicals that are about precision, music and bragging rights.

Greek members will step and sport their letters, alums will hug and greet long lost friends, old school fans will grill out, play “Flashlight,” and argue about who’s band is best.  Students will have more reason to party and football players will know it’s about pride.

So, this year, the nation should gloriously celebrate what is the 125^th anniversary of black college football.  From that Dec. 27, 1892 game between Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University) and Livingstone College in which Biddle held on for a 4-0 win, to today when Texas Southern visits Florida A&M in the inaugural Jake Gaither Football Classic, and every game in between, the gridiron continues to be the grand uniter of black communities everywhere. 

It’s time for “the Show” to begin. 

New Conference, Big Plans as Edward Waters Kicks Off 2017 Football Season at Bethel

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Edward Waters quarterback Tyler Mahla leads the Tigers against Bethel (Tn.)

Things are getting serious for the Edward Waters College football program these days.

They are kicking off a 2017 season Saturday against Bethel (Tn), but the Tigers are also joining a new conference, the Mid-South Conference, the largest in the NAIA with 20 members.

They have a new, permanent athletic director of Stanley Cromartie.  Jacksonville, Fla., Mayor Lenny Curry has in his proposed budget $8.4 million that would partially go towards building a new football facility for Edward Waters, which will be playing home games at a local high school stadium this year.  The Tigers have never had their own field.

While the Tigers aren't expected to do well in their first season of  Mid South Conference play, - they were picked finish last in the Mid South's Sun Division after finishing 3-6 last season - the Tigers finished 2016 by winning three of their last four games.

"I am excited about the season," said head coach Alvin Wyatt on during EWC's Media Day on Aug. 16, according to WJXT in Jacksonville.  "We are going to a tough conference. We know this, we haven't had the opportunity to go against some of the teams there that we are playing on our schedule, but we are familiar with the ones we played last season."

Bethel, their first new conference foe, jumped out to a 4-0 record in 2016 but ended the season losing their last four games. They'll be revamping a multiple offense that lost five starters - including their quarterback, leading receiver and top rusher - from last year's team.  They return eight starters on defense including leading tackler Trey'Von Brown (82 tackles, 10 sacks in 2016).  In fact, their top ten tacklers from last season return.

EWC senior quarterback Tyler Mahla was the Tigers leading rusher and split time with two other quarterbacks in throwing for 396 yards and two touchdowns. But Wyatt is confident in Mahla.

"That is our trigger man," Wyatt said. "That's our go-to guy.  He has done a great job for us in the times he was not injured. I feel good about what he can bring to the table offensively.  He's got an offensive line that has been here for awhile, so things are in place for him."

Kickoff in McKenzie, Tenn. is 2:30 p.m. EST.

Texas Southern and Florida A&M Kickoff HBCU Football Season in Saturday's Jake Gaither Football Classic

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Texas Southern quarterback Jay Cristophe (photo by Juan DeLeon/Houston Chronicle)

Don't be surprised if Texas Southern and Florida A&M look similiar to one another when they kick off the HBCU football season in Saturday's Jake Gaither Football Classic in Tallahassee, Fla.

They are both teams who finished 4-7 last year. They have offenses that like to run their quarterback and well as throw the football. And, well, SU  head coach Michael Haywood was the head coach at Miami (Oh), his wide receivers coach was FAMU head coach Alex Wood.

"So there's a lot of similarities in the offensive scheme, along with the way they run the quarterback," Haywood said during the SWAC Media Day last month.  "We won't run the quarterback early this year because of what happened last year."

What happened last year was a knee injury to TSU quarterback Jay Cristophe in the season opener, ending his season.  This year, the strong-armed and quick-footed senior is back and Haywood couldn't be happier.

"I think he's a lot smarter football player," he said.  "He understands the offensive system a lot better because he spent a lot of time in the meeting room when he was injured. He spent a lot of time during spring football analyzing, understanding.... I think he's gotten better from a mental standpoint, but at the same time, I think he's also gotten better physically, because he's in better shape now prior to getting injured."

On the other side of the field, FAMU quarterback Ryan Stanley is coming off a strong first year for a team looking to build on a fairly solid end to the 2016 season. They won three of their last five games, erasing memories of a bad start and four un-Rattlerlike seasons before.

FAMU quarterback Ryan Stanley (photo by FAMU sports website)

Stanley, a sophomore third team, preseason All-Conference pick this season, led a Rattlers pass offense that finished fourth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference last season.  Stanley also was the second-leading rusher for FAMU last season with 351 yards and three TDs.  But he may not even start.

Wood has opened up the quarterback competition during fall practice, though Stanley, the most experienced FAMU quarterback by far, is likely to be the first on the field for FAMU Saturday.

“We know we can run zone-read and we can throw play-action pass off it," Wood said during Media Day. "That’s where we’re going to hang our hat on. You have to be able to run the football, obviously, to be successful offensively.”

Besides clarifying the quarterback situation and shoring up a lagging running game from 2016, the Rattlers must boost a defense that ranked in the lower half of the SWAC last season.  They ranked in the bottom half of the MEAC in total defense and defensive scoring in 2016, with real problems stopping the run.  But FAMU’s secondary was the league’s best, allowing just under 159 passing yards a game last season.  They return preseason All-MEAC picks in defensive backs Orlando McKinley and Terry Jefferson.  As a freshman in 2016, Jefferson had 46 tackles, while McKinley was one of the MEAC’s best in passes defended.  Both had four interceptions last season.

“The thing that has to come to fruition for us is playing a lot better defense,” Wood said. “To win a championship, you’ve got to play really good defense and that’s something that we’re going to emphasize.”

Kickoff in Tallahassee is noon EST.  The game will be telecast on ESPNU. 

Loaded Grambling Squad Shooting for Another Title

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Depending on your perspective, things could be looking great for the Grambling football team or quite daunting for the Tigers in 2017.

Great because they are coming off a 2016 season in which they went 11-1, losing only to FBS Pac 12 Arizona in a game they easily could have won, went undefeated in winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference title, defeated North Carolina Central in the Celebration bowl, and then being crowned FCS HBCU national champs.

Daunting because everyone expects them to do it all again this season.  They are the favorites to win the SWAC title again this season and are nationally-ranked in a number of publications.

But Grambling head football coach Brandon Fobbs said focus will be the first order of business this season.

“Last season was a tremendous roller coaster ride for our players, and, also for our coaches. That’s behind us,” Fobbs said during the SWAC Media Day. “We’re excited for 2017.  At the end of the day, it’s going to be a lot of people ready to go to work.

“I don’t really think it matters, the expectations,” he said.  “At the end of the day, we start at the starting line at the same place.  Because you finished first, because you got all these kids on the All-Conference, that means absolutely nothing….  So, we all have to start at the starting line at the same place.  But at the end of the day, the champion is crowned when you win…. For us, it’s about continuing to do the work we have to do in order to be where we want to be and win.”

On offense, there is a bit of rebuilding to do. Grambling lost three starters on the offensive line, their three top receivers including star wide out Chad Williams, and reliable running back Jestin Kelly to graduation. But the conference’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback DeVante Kincaide returns after a monster year in which he threw for 3,022 yards, 31 touchdowns and just four interceptions.  He is one of five offensive Tigers on the preseason All-SWAC first team – last season’s leading rusher in running back Martez Carter, wide receiver Devohn Lindsey, and offensive linemen Trent Scott and William Waddell.  Tight end Jordan Jones was named to the second team.

The SWAC’s top defense lost seven starters, including their two leading tacklers and three All-Conference defensive linemen.  But they have six defenders quality defenders returning who were named to the 2017 preseason All-SWAC team.  De’Arius Christmas is back at linebacker, while three members of the SWAC’s top secondary – Derrick Dixon, Deaumante Johnson and Ja’Terious Pouncey – return. Deontae Hatter and Malcolm Williams rejoin Christmas at linebacker.  Christopher Johnson and Brandon Varner are preseason All-SWAC defensive line replacements for 2017.

All that to say that Fobbs’ team is loaded again.

“Of course, everyone is chomping at the bit because every game is going to be a championship game for us,” he said.  “But that also presents a challenge that I’m interested in as well, because it allows us to play at a different level, and we know that. 

“We have to get better, just like everyone else in the conference is getting better,” Fobbs said.  “In order to get the same result, we can’t play the same way. We have to play a different way and we’re looking forward to that.”